


the one with a protective gareki

by necroesthe



Series: requests [3]
Category: Karneval
Genre: Gareki is worried, Kinda protective, Theres a fucking spider that doesn't deserve to be called a spider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-12
Updated: 2015-12-12
Packaged: 2018-05-06 09:07:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5411051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/necroesthe/pseuds/necroesthe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'I saw that you were taking request for Garenai and wanted to ask for some protective!Gareki, just something cute with Gareki being protective over Nai."<br/>- Anon, 2015</p>
            </blockquote>





	the one with a protective gareki

It’s quiet and dark. Nai had chugged perhaps half a gallons worth of water 30 minutes with Yogi in an attempt to ‘flush the fear away’ after they had watched a scary movie.  Needless to say, It didn’t work and now Nai was left staring up at the bottom of Gareki’s bunk, his eyes never straying off to the side in fear of seeing a shadow creature. 

A minute passed. Then 5, and Nai couldn’t take it any more. He slipped out the bed and climbed up the ladder until he was able to reach his hand over and shake Gareki’s shoulder. **  
**

Gareki groaned and rolled over, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. “Nai?” He said once his vision was clear. “What do you want?”

“I need to go to the bathroom but I’m scared.” Nai whispered. “Really scared.”

Gareki stared at him, and after a moment, rolled back over. “Go by yourself.”

“But Gareki-”

“Go.”

Nai frowned, but climbed back down and padded over to the door. He slowly opened it, and then slipped out, breaking into a quiet run. Gareki sighed and closed his eyes, waiting for the eventual footsteps of Nai coming back and his sweet voice wishing him yet another good night.

Except it didn’t happen. 10 minutes and Gareki was vaguely concerned. 20 minutes and Gareki was mildly concerned. 30 minutes-

30 minutes Gareki was out the bed dashing to the bathroom.

It was unlocked, and it was empty. The only signs of use was the water in the sink, which had not yet dried.

Gareki tch’ed and exited the bathroom. He walked through the hallway, wondering where the heck could possibly _be_.

He finds a lone sock in the hallway, red and riddled with disgusting candy canes. Gareki can’t tell if it belongs to Yogi or Nai. He pockets it, hoping it isn’t dirty, and continues walking.

Not in kitchen. Not in the living room.

(  _maybe nai had fallen out again. this time there were no sheep to search for his presence, so nai would have been left out. it would have been hours until somebody noticed._

_gareki’s stomach dropped. fear pricked at the back of his mind_ )

The vents were closed, so Nai wasn’t there. The other bathrooms were clear. Gareki had also checked Yogi’s and Tsukumo’s room, to see if Nai had snuck off for an impromptu sleepover.

Nothing except for Yogi’s much loathed life sized Nyanperona plush. Gareki shuddered.

The thing’s beady eyes bored into your very soul and contained no nice thoughts; only promises of eternal suffering and damnation.

Gareki rubbed his eyes and decided that maybe it was time to get back to bed. Maybe Nai had returned.

He’s about to open the door when Nai bursts through it, colliding with Gareki, and screaming off the top of his lungs. Gareki slaps his hand over Nai’s mouth on impulse. Once he realizes what he’s done, Gareki removes it and pulls Nai close, awkwardly petting his head with one hand in an attempt to calm him.

“Where were you?” Gareki whispers, and upon seeing the tears in Nai’s eyes, changes his voice to a more soothing tone. Or tries too at least tries too. “And what happened?”

“I went to the bathroom and tried to come back but it was dark so I had the sheep guide me but you weren’t here so I went out to look for you but I couldn’t find you so I can back and it was really scary because I kept on seeing shadow monsters and-” Nai blubbered, hugging him tight. “Then there was a spider.”

Gareki nearly snorted. A spider? Really? They had encountered varuga and plenty more terrifying monsters in the Niji Forest. Surely Nai couldn’t be scared of just a spide-

A creature the size of a small dog leaps out the doorway, only inches away from the two. It had numerous legs and even more eyes. Venom dribbled from its fangs. It narrowed its eyes at them.

“That,” Gareki says. “Is not a spider.  _That_  is a fucking monstrosity.”

Nai clutches to Gareki’s tank top. “I tried to become friends with it, but when i tried to pet it I got scratched.”

“ _You tried to pet it?_ ”

“But it liked it when I told it stories, but whenever I mention Sheep-san it’d start growling.”

“Nai. What kind of spider  _growls_.”

“This one does.”

Gareki is about to kick the not-spider when it leaps onto him, digging its claws into his skin and snapping its mandibles. Venom drips onto Gareki’s face and  _oh god it burns it burns it bur-_

He grabs its abdomen, and digs his nails into it. He can feel it piercing the flesh, and the sticky blood that runs down its side and stains his fingers with a light green.

Gareki digs into it harder while simultaneously pulling it away. He’s a finger knuckle in when the not-spider lets go. Gareki throws it back into the room and closes the door shut with a loud resounding bang.

“Let’s,” He says, once the adrenaline wears off and all that’s left is a tiredness that aches his bones and very soul. “Go sleep in the living room. Tomorrow we’ll get Akari so he can check out whatever the heck that thing was.”

Nai nods, and follows him to the living room.

( _there isn’t really much on the couch. only pillows pillows and more pillows_

_so they improvise, and sleep together, as close as they can_

_nai is warm. gareki is graceful_  )

**Author's Note:**

> //takes a long drag of my candy cigar  
> 
> 
> its a long and busy job...trying to fill up the garenai tag. people are sick of it, but someone needs to do it  
> 
> 
> as always, [shim-ra](http://shim-ra.tumblr.com/) is always open for requests


End file.
